Stiffening rib for supporting garments



Jan. 11, 1938. J. v. MOORE STIFFENING RIB FOR SUPPORTING GARMENTS Filed July 20, 1936 Patented Jan. 11, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE S'I'IFFENING RIB FOR SUPPORTING GAR,- MENTS Application July 20, 1936, Serial No. 91,522

2 Claims.

This invention relates to supporting garments such as corsets or girdles, and relates more particularly to means for stiffening such garments. Such stiffeners as at present manufactured from metal, bone or other stifiiy resilient materials are of limited flexibility and will break if bent too far. The sharp broken edges .then discomfort and endanger the wearer and the rigidity of such stiffeners frequently causes them to chafe the wearer or to injure the garment.

It is the general object of my invention to provide an improved. rib for stiffening a corset, girdle or other supporting garment which will not break in wearing or laundering.

A further object is to provide a stiffening rib which is firm but also pliable and flexible in all directions and which will immediately resume its original shape after bending or distortion to any extent.

By the use of my invention, the fit of a supporting garment is improved, rolling up and wrinkling of the garment is prevented, and the comfort of the wear is much increased.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of my invention is shown in the drawing in which Fig. 1 is a partial front elevation of a. girdle having my invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of my improved stiffening rib.

Referring to the drawing, my improved stiffening rib R is formed of latex or rubber, molded in a continuous strip which is preferably flat on one side and convex on the other, as clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. The latex or rubber is specially treated with an anti-oxidant to insure durability, long life and flexibility, and the vulcanizing process is stopped at the point where the rubber is relatively firm while still remaining flexible.

In the preferred form I incorporate in the rib R a strip of reenforcing fabric F which may be disposed at the flat side of the rib or may be located in the interior of the rib as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The reenforcing fabric may be a coarse cotton weave or may be of any other suit! able material. The ribs being used for stiffening purposes, no stretch is commonly necessary or desirable, and the stiffening fabric F is preferably non-elastic. The fabric prevents over-strain of the rubber and insures even longer effective life.

When incorporated in a garment,the ribs R. are preferably confined in pockets which may be formed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by stitching a cover C of cloth or other suitable material to the garment G along each side of the rib R. Obviously these stiffening ribs may be used in any desired number and may be placed in any desired locations in a garment.

As the rib may be readily bent or twisted in any direction, it will adapt itself to any movement without causing discomfort to the wearer, while at the same time the garment will fit smoothly in every position of the wearer. It also does not endanger the wearer or the garment by breaking, chafing or cutting.

My improved rib is not effected by water or body perspiration or by laundering or dry cleaning operations so that garments in which it is used may be laundered or cleansed as frequently as desired without removing the ribs therefrom. This in itself is a very substantial advantage over the steel ribs heretofore commonly used.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:-

1. A garment stiffening rib formed of an elongated body of solid rubber vulcanized to a firm but pliable condition and having a strip of nonelastic fabric incorporated therein and extending lengthwise thereof.

2. A garment stiffening rib formed of an elongated body of solid rubber vulcanized to a firm but pliable condition, said rib being substantially flat on one side and convex on the other side.

JOHN V. MOORE. 

